The Wager
by GreenEyedBabe
Summary: Hermione arrives at Malfoy Manor to find out her boyfriend Draco did something awful. What will she do when she learns the exact details of his stupidity and what he's done on top of it to correct it? SS/HG- Two-shot Rated MA.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **Hi everyone, I know, long time no hear. lol. __ So, I was flipping channels on my TV last night and ran across the movie Indecent Proposal, I watched for about twenty minutes before changing the channel again out of boredom. However, this is what it inspired in me. I hope you all like it. This will only be a two part story, just FYI. Working getting something multi chaptered for you guys soon. Take care._

_**Special Thanks to TabiPrewett for the awesome beta work she did on this story. You rock lady for how quick you got this done for me, even with laptop issues.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the HP universe. I just write these stories for free, for fun, and to have an outlet for my Perviness. lol.**_

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><p><strong><span>The Wager: Part One<span>  
><strong>

Hermione was furious. How dare Draco do this to her again? He hadn't bothered making plans with her to go out on Friday night, but that still didn't stop him from sending her an owl requesting her presence anyway, or should we say demanding it. It wasn't like he'd owled her early in the evening either, no, he waited until it was almost midnight to do so.

Hermione growled in annoyance as she pulled out her wand to apparate to Malfoy Manner. "He probably wants a shag now that he's had his fun for the evening doing Lord knows what. Like there is a chance in hell of that happening."

Arriving at her destination, she mentally went over the speech she'd been working on all night, one he had no clue he was about to get either. Changing a few words here and there since they did nothing to really get her point across, at least in her mind. She started the long speech over again as she made the tedious trek up the walkway towards the front door.

She raised her hand to knock, but paused long enough to insure her appearance was alright. She didn't want to show up looking like some windblown tart. She'd worked hard to get Narcissa Malfoy to stop looking at her like she was some ill educated heathen and her showing up looking like a dirty and tangled ragamuffin would only get the icy and disdainful glares sent her way again.

Her heavy mass of hair was pulled up in a loose bun, accenting the graceful line of her neck. The pale gray blouse she was wearing was soft and delicate, but cut high to hide her breasts while still looking sexy with the draping back that showed the line of her spine. Her black pencil skirt, a gift from Ginny, showed the curve of her hips but ran the length of leg down to her knees. The only thing that made the skirt a bit on the racy side, was the long silver zipper down the side that ran from the base of the skirt, up to the waist. Topping the outfit off was a pair of black pumps that had a modest two inch square heel.

Seeing everything was still tidy with her appearance, she lifted her hand a second time and knocked. The door opened moments later and Hermione was greeted by the wrinkly creature that served as the Malfoy butler.

Stepping inside at the elf's insistence, she looked down as it spoke to her. "Miss Hermione, Master's Draco is expecting you's in the study. This way please."

Hermione held back the growl that threatened to escape, still rather angry over the whole situation at hand. Instead silently following the tiny elf as it guided her through the massive hallways of the manner towards one of the many rooms the house held.

"In here Miss, Master's Draco will be with you's shortly." The elf said, opening the door and stepping aside so she could enter the room.

Temper in check, as best as it could be at the moment, she stepped inside and thanked the small elf before it closed the door behind her. Hermione frowned slightly at that. The elf hadn't even bothered asking if she needed anything before it left. "Strange." She mumbled to herself before moving farther into the room.

She slipped her purse from her shoulder and set in on a nearby table as she moved to look at the many shelves of books the room held. The one thing she'd always noted and appreciated was the massive book collection the manor held. Each room had its own small reading nook, though the actual Malfoy Library was rather vast as well. So far she'd never seen a single duplicate copy of any book in the house, regardless of which room she entered.

Her fingers running over the old leather volumes, she scanned the titles this room held. Her lips curving slightly at seeing some that were familiar to her, titles she'd read already over the years, and some that she'd never heard of before due to their age.

"You know, some people actually sit when they enter a room and are waiting for their host." A soft, silky voice drawled from the shadows on the opposite corner of the room.

Hermione turned at the sound of the familiar tone and pitch of the person speaking, still hidden in the shadows. Her lips parting in both surprise since she'd thought she was alone, and curiosity since she was fully aware of who was speaking with how many years she spent listening to the man lecture and snark at her.

"But I'm not the least bit surprised, considering whom you are, that you are not one of those people." Snape said as he moved into the light. "Tell me Miss Granger, does Draco know how much you eye his family's books when he's not around?"

Her surprise turning into a frown at his question, her head tilted as she considered him. "He should, especially since I've never hidden my love of books from anyone, and have carried that love since childhood. How are you, Professor?"

Severus let his gaze glide over her form. "I'm well, though I don't know why you insist on using that blasted title with me still. I'm not your Professor any longer, or anyone's for that matter."

Hermione's lips twitched at the hint of annoyance in his voice. "Nor am I your student any longer, meaning you don't have to be quite so formal with me. I do have a first name, you know."

Severus studied her silently for several moments before speaking again. "Really? And here I thought you were born with only a last name and several annoying habits to be put up with."

Her smile slipped out with her meaning for it too. "It's nice to see your sarcasm is still as...full and biting as ever. However, if you insist on using my last name every time you see me, then I must insist on using your former title that annoys you." Her smile growing a bit more when she saw his jaw clench at her words.

"Very well...Hermione." He finally said after several moments.

"Excellent, Severus. Now, are you waiting for Draco as well?" She asked, as she moved towards one of the many wing back chairs the room had to offer.

Severus again merely studied her a moment silently before answering her. "In a way, you could say that." His tone slightly smug, though his answer was vague.

Already annoyed, though not nearly as much as she was before finding her old professor in the room with her, she bit back the need to roll her eyes. "If that isn't fully the case, then, how would you put it?"

Severus moved to sit in a chair opposite her. "I'd say that...I'm waiting for the debt that he owes me to be paid."

Hermione frowned. "What debt?"

His brow rose. "What makes you think I'd be inclined to tell you about our personal dealings?"

She shrugged. "If you didn't want me to ask, you wouldn't have mentioned it in the first place. In fact, if you didn't want me to ask why you're here at all, you'd have stayed hidden in the shadows. You don't normally make a habit of speaking to me unless there is a reason behind it."

Severus' lips curved minutely at that. "How very astute of you."

Pondering her again, he moved to stand. "Would you care for a drink while you wait?"

Hermione frowned at him again. He wasn't normally one to be polite or gracious, and he'd never acted as host to anyone when one was lacking. Him doing so now was a bit...disconcerting and threw her off balance somewhat. "Er...yes, thank you."

Severus smirked to himself as he moved to pour them both a drink, well aware of her confusion at his offer. Tumblers in hand, he walked back towards her and handed her the glass.

Hermione looked at the three fingers of fire whiskey in front of her. She didn't normally drink this stuff; in fact, she'd never even tried it. She usually stuck with something simpler, like a glass of wine.

Seeing Severus watching her, she slowly raised the glass to her lips and took a small sip. Liquid fire raced its way down her throat to roar into an inferno when it hit her stomach, making her eyes water and her lungs burn as she gasped for air.

A sly grin spreading his lips, Severus chuckled softly at her reaction to the drink as he raised his own glass and took a generous swallow of it. Seeing her still reeling from the small sip as she coughed into her hand, he spoke up. "You could have said you didn't want the whiskey or that you didn't like it. Its an...acquired taste and not for everyone."

The burn finally easing, she raised her still watery eyes to his amusement filled ones. "I'd never tried it before, honestly. I didn't know if I'd like it or not."

Severus gave her a small nod. "Now that you do, do you dare risk another taste or do you give in and ask for something else instead?"

Hermione shrugged. "Now that I know it'll roast me from the inside out, I think I'll stick with something else. I don't know how you or anyone drinks that." Setting her glass down beside her, she called to an elf and asked for a glass of wine instead.

Severus' brow furrowed as the elf disappeared to do what was asked. "You surprise me, I half expected you to drink it again simply to prove some silly point."

"What point would that be?" She asked.

His eyes roaming her face, he spoke. "That you're just as good and brave as anyone else and that you won't back down when issued a challenge. Or some such nonsense."

Hermione laughed softly. "Well, that is where growing up has its advantages. While I'm still a Gryffindor, I don't feel the need to vindicate myself at every turn. So are you going to tell me what debt Draco owes you, or did you plan to stick with the it's none of my business stance?"

Severus leaned back in his chair. "Did you know that on occasion my godson, a few others, and myself get together to play cards?"

The elf popped back with her wine before disappearing again. Glass in hand she took a sip before answering him. "Cards? Like...poker, or cribbage, or something?"

Severus nodded. "Yes, we sit around and play a wizarding version of poker. Have you ever played?"

Hermione shook her head no. "I think a played a few hands of muggle poker with some old girl friends, and my dad taught me to play Rummy, but I've never seen a wizarding version played. Why?"

Severus took another sip of his drink. "Well, its a lot like the muggle version, however the stakes are...magically enforced."

Hermione frowned. "Enforced? How?"

Severus shrugged. "Depends on the wager really. Sometimes a person could wager their whole purse of galleons, and if they lose, the purse disappears from their pockets and appears in the winner's pocket. I once heard of a man betting his home during a game, and when he lost, he was forcibly ejected from the home without the winner even requesting him to be tossed out. Apparently with him losing, the magic involved took it as he was no longer welcome inside the house either."

Hermione shook her head, taking a fresh drink from her glass. "Its complete rubbish what some people gamble with. Did you know that muggles have a whole support group for people that can't stop gambling?"

"I had heard something about it, yes." He said, still watching her.

Hermione glanced at the closed door. "I wonder what's taking Draco so long?"

Severus shrugged again. "I'm sure he'll be along shortly. Did he tell you why he sent for you?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. The prat didn't even bother trying to make plans with me, and then sends me an owl while I was out with my friends having fun, the tone of it was practically demanding that I show up here."

Still watching her, Severus spoke. "I doubt he meant to be rude with his message to you. I know he was distracted when he wrote it."

"Oh?" She asked, "Distracted by what?"

"I told you, he owes me a debt. I'm sure he's worried about how he's going to pay it." He told her.

Hermione frowned. "Draco Malfoy is worried about how he's going to pay off a wager? That's almost funny. All he has to do is send a transfer notice Gringotts for you, or go there himself to withdraw the funds. Him being worried doesn't make much sense, unless..."

She paused as a new thought hit her. "Exactly how much did he lose to you?"

Severus smirked at that. "All of it."

Hermione's frown grew. "What do you mean all of it?"

Severus' brow rose. "It means that in the midst of a very heated game, one that everyone else was wise enough to bow out from due to how rich the pot was getting, Draco decided that his hand was good enough to risk his whole inheritance over. Too bad for him that it wasn't."

Hermione's lips parted. "You're joking."

Severus shook his head. "I doubt I've ever joked where money was concerned, so no, I'm not joking."

Her eyes widening as the implications of his words hit her, she went on. "You won his entire inheritance? What...what did his father have to say about it?"

Severus chuckled to himself. "Lucius was very...displeased at how utterly daft his son was to have even pondered such a wager. Needless to say his father has refused to step in and help Draco out of this mess."

Hermione sat back, still stunned speechless. "I can't believe you took all his money. I can't believe he bet it all."

Severus gave a mild shrug. "Yes well, this is what happens when a spoiled child isn't taught the true value of being poor. Now, he'll find out for himself just what that feels like."

Hermione glanced at Severus again. "Is...is Lucius going to throw him out to fend for himself too?"

He smirked at her. "I'm sure the thought has crossed Lucius' mind, however, I'm not sure just what has been decided as of yet. Last I heard Narcissa and Lucius were in a heated debate over it all. Hence, part of the reason I'm in here, instead of with them."

When several minutes had passed and Hermione hadn't spoken again, Severus decided to ask something he was curious about. "So...are you going to still be seeing Draco now that he's poor?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "I never gave a damn about his money."

"Ahh, but knowing that Draco hasn't been raised to fend for himself without his money behind him, would you do anything to help him survive?" He asked.

Hermione sighed. "I wouldn't bail on him, if that is what you mean. I'd help, if I could, until he was back on his feet. You know, help him get a job, a flat, that kind of thing. I'm not...I wouldn't just kick him completely out of my life because he was broke. What kind of person do you take me for?"

Severus' brow rose again. "Other than an annoying one? Well, I suppose your nature wouldn't allow you to leave him when he's destitute. However, just how far would you be willing to go to help him?"

Hermione shook her head, thinking that Draco Malfoy was the biggest idiot she'd ever met. "I don't know. Why?"

Severus tapped his fingers against his now empty glass. "Well, while Lucius and Narcissa have been arguing about just how to deal with Draco, he and I had a bit of a chat."

"And?" Hermione, not sure where this was going.

Severus raised his dark eyes to meet hers again. "Draco asked if he could offer anything else in exchange for his money. I said no of course, but then he asked about one last wager."

Hermione shrugged. "Okay, so what was the wager?"

Lips curving, Severus sat forward slightly. "His inheritance back if he wins."

Frowning again, Hermione nodded. "Alright. And if he loses?"

Severus studied her intensely, wanting to see her exact reaction to his next words. "I get you."

Her eyes all but bugged out of her head and her mouth dropped open in shock. "I beg your pardon?"

Severus waited a moment, still watching her. "I get you. Whether for a night or longer is solely up to you, but he'd allow me to have you if he lost."

Eyes still wide in shock and mild horror at what this meant, Hermione spoke. "He bet me. He said you could have me, like...like I was some...little toy to be bartered with?"

Severus nodded and the anger Hermione felt earlier roared inside her again, building instantly until she swore there was a red tinge around her vision as she jerked out of her chair. "That son of a...I can't...how could he...I'm going to kill him." She growled out.

Severus leaned back in his seat, still watching her. "I don't blame you for being angry. I'd be angry too."

Hermione started pacing. "I know he's a snotty little prat sometimes, but I thought...I thought...how could he just bet a person like they don't even matter to him."

Severus watched her pacing back and forth, debating how best to answer her. "Well, from what I've seen of him, he's...a spoiled brat. His parents never demanded much from him, beyond getting the best grades, though that was so they had something to hold over their equally wealthy friends, even though you did beat him in several subjects. They never really expected him to earn anything, so he has little regard for anything or anyone."

Still fuming, Hermione suddenly paused as a thought hit her. "You didn't...I mean...you didn't actually take him up on his bet, did you?"

Severus studied her again, earning a growl of annoyance from her at his silence. "I did."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "What? Why?"

Severus stood, making her back up several steps. "To teach him a lesson for one thing. Obviously losing his money didn't really have much by way of an impact, so...I thought that since he seems to care for you, that losing you too would be the slap in the head he apparently needs."

Hermione was at a loss for words, so Severus spoke again. "Would you care to hear how it went?"

Hermione shook her head no, and Severus chuckled darkly as he moved closer to her. "Oh come now, surely you want to know if Draco was able to win back his money or if he lost you as well." He said, his eyes raking over her.

Hermione's chin rose again. "Just because he lost me, doesn't mean I have to comply with the terms of the bet. I didn't wager myself after all and I'm not an object that can be legally or magically forced to give myself to anyone either."

Severus' lips curved. "You're very correct. Twenty points to Gryffindor."

Hermione glared at him. "That isn't funny. So what does it matter to me if he won or lost since I don't have to comply with the wager anyway."

Severus moved towards her again, making her want to back away, but holding her ground none the less. "Aren't you curious if he won though? Or how exactly it turned out?"

She was, damn him. She wanted to know what happened, and she wanted to kill Draco regardless of how it turned out. "Fine. Tell me."

Severus motioned for her to sit again, and with a sigh of resignation, she did. "First off, I'm not stupid enough to wager money on something I still might not have. Nor am I willing to normally wager all of my winnings just for one person, though I was intrigued at how easily he was willing to give you away."

Hermione's lips tightened in a thin line at hearing that.

Severus smirked at seeing her anger. "However, he is my godson and I'd hate to see him tossed out on his arse with nothing, even though he does deserve it. So I wagered his money back to him, but with a clause."

"What clause?" Hermione asked, still royally pissed over it all.

Severus' smirk grew. "Its easy to say you'd be willing to give up your...girlfriend, even for a single night, but another to actually do it. So, regardless of him winning or losing, I still get you."

Hermione jerked forward in her seat. "What?" She screeched.

Severus shrugged. "I didn't think he'd really forfeit you and was just bluffing. So I called his bluff. If he wins, I still get to have you once, before he gets his money back."

"That is ridiculous. I'm not having any part of this." She said as she stood up, but Severus moved quickly and caught her arm before she'd taken more than a step or two.

"I wasn't finished." He told her.

Hermione glared at him. "I don't care, I'm leaving."

Severus studied her again. "What if I told you he won? That he gets all his money back and all you have to do is let me have you once."

Hermione was still glaring. "You could say anything you pleased, that doesn't make it true. In fact, this whole thing could be one big pile of shite. Draco can't be that big of an idiot to lose his money, nor that big of a prick to actually bet me to get it back."

Sighing, Severus reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of parchment. He looked at it a moment before holding it out for her. "See for yourself."

Hermione continued glaring for several moments before, with a huff; she took the roll of parchment from him. Jerking her arm out of his grasp, she stepped away to read what was written. Waving her wand to check first if it was legitimate or forged, after finding Draco's magical signature all over it, she knew it was real.

Her eyes scanning the contents, she saw it was a contract stating the rounds of wagers back and forth between Draco and Severus throughout their game. Each scribbled bet had the name of the winner written beside it too.

**10 Galleons-Draco**

**25 Galleons-Draco**

**15 Galleons-Severus**

**20 Galleons-Severus**

**15 Galleons-Draco**

**50 Galleons-Severus**

On and on the list went.

**30 Galleons-Draco**

**50 Galleons-Draco**

**100 Galleons-Severus**

She skimmed down to the end of the long list, and saw that Severus had indeed won the bet of Draco's entire trust fund that he currently had. Seeing this only had Hermione thinking again that Draco was a complete moron for even thinking of wagering so much on a single hand of cards. She saw what was written just below it and couldn't believe what she saw.

**Hermione Granger vs Trust fund. Winner gets to keep both, however, before Trust fund is restored to Draco Malfoy should he win, Hermione Granger must agree to the terms of the contract, otherwise final wager is considered null and void. - Draco**

Draco had indeed won back his money, but only if Hermione agreed to Severus' clause first. Shaking her head, she let the parchment slip from her fingers to fall uselessly to the floor. He had bet her, been willing to let Severus have her, all for the chance to get his money back that he never should have wagered to begin with.

Her eyes met Severus' again. "Why would you even take the bet?" She asked softly.

It took him several moments before he answered. "I told you. I didn't want him tossed out on his arse."

Hermione didn't understand. "You could have just given him his money back, if that was the case. Why take the bet of you getting to...sleep with me? Why not demand something else?"

Severus breathed deeply as he contemplated his answer. "What does it matter why I accepted the bet or not?"

"It matters. You...you don't even like me, why would you want to sleep with me?" She countered.

His eyes raked over her again, taking in her blouse that, while it tried to hide what was hidden underneath, did a poor job of actually doing so. Moving down her frame to the black skirt with the silver zipper that molded to her hips.

Sliding his gaze back up her frame, his eyes landed on hers again and he gave a disinterested shrug. "You're young, and who wouldn't want someone young and fresh in their bed every now and again."

Hermione's eyes narrowed at his words. "You can go to hell, then." With that she turned on her heel and stormed off.

She hadn't taken but a few steps before he caught her wrist again. "You can't make me agree to this, Severus." She growled at him.

Severus nodded. "True. But think of it this way, one night with me and Draco gets all his money back. I'm sure he'll be very...grateful to you, too. You could have anything you asked of him, I'm sure."

Hermione looked down at her shoes, her thoughts racing. She didn't care about Draco's money, she never had. However, something she'd always had in the back of her mind was being offered right now and she wasn't sure she could walk away. Though she wasn't sure she could take it either.

Still debating her choices, she asked her next question. "What exactly do you want from me?"

Severus studied her quietly again, surprised she was considering this at all. "You know what I want with that clause; don't play dumb with me now."

Hermione huffed out a breath. "No, I mean...what...when...when would you want to do this exactly?"

"What's wrong with now?" He asked her.

Hermione swallowed. "What would I have...um...what exactly would you want of me? I'm...I'm not sure what you're into...per say. What would you expect from me?"

Realizing what she was asking, Severus searched her gaze, seeing the uncertainty in them. "I would expect you to treat me as you would any other...lover. I would not accept you shying away from me at all. I do not enjoy cold women who hold themselves stiff as a board, merely waiting for it to be finished with. I demand a full partner, one that participates in all aspects of the act."

Hermione swallowed nervously again. "If I don't...like what you're...trying to do? Are you...going to be angry or try to force me..." She trailed off, mostly with the look that entered his eyes at the mention of force.

"I do not force women. I never have and I'm not about to start now. If you don't want to do this, then don't do it. You can walk away right now if you wish it. " he told her, still watching her. "I wouldn't expect you to do anything you don't want to. If you do not enjoy something, I expect you to tell me. There are multiple ways to...copulate, and we can find one we'll both enjoy if you agree to this."

Hermione nodded. "Alright, that...that does ease my mind some, I guess." She bit her bottom lip as her mind raced with what all this meant.

Severus saw her hesitation still and taking her arm, he eased her back towards the chairs. Pulling his wand, he quickly transfigured them into a long and wide sofa. Pushing her to take a seat, he saw the moment she started to panic.

"Wait, I didn't..." She started, only to have him cut her off.

"Let us try something simple first. To...help ease your mind one way or the other on this." He told her, making her nod.

"Okay, what did you have in mind?" She asked him.

Taking a seat next to her, he reached over and pulled her stiff frame into his lap. "A kiss to see if you can even go that far."

Hermione again swallowed nervously, but nodded her agreement. "I can do that, but..."

His brow rose. "But, what?"

"Well...this position is a bit awkward...can I...um...move into a better one?" She asked.

Severus leaned back to wait for her to be ready. "Do whatever you need to, in order to be comfortable."

Hermione nodded again, and moved off of his lap. However as she went to sit again, this time straddling him so she could reach him better, her skirt wouldn't allow her to do it. Reaching for her zipper, thinking to open it a bit more so she could sit properly, she found his hands brushing hers away.

"Allow me." He said, a slight purr to his voice as he reached his hand out to grasp her leg. His fingers tickling the back of knee as he slowly slid the zipper up until it reached the middle of her thigh.

Then, he held out his hand for her, which she took, but with a slight tremble to her own, and helped her get seated on his lap again. "Better?" he asked, still watching her as she sat with her legs on either side of him now.

She nodded. "Yes, thanks." She muttered quietly, still very nervous over all of this.

Now that she was in his lap, she wasn't sure what to do. She knew how to kiss, had done more than just kiss on several occasions, but this time it was different. He was different with who he'd been in her life in the past.

Seeing her unsure how to continue, he reached up and cupped the back of her neck, drawing her downward until she was only an inch away from his lips. "I can only guide you so far, the rest is up to you." He told her, his eyes still seeming to measure her. "Its up to you to make the choice to lean in, or back away."

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Hermione closed the distance and touched her lips to his. She expected him to instantly ravish her lips, but he didn't. He waited, letting her move her lips over his, slowly, testing the waters.

Realizing that this was her show for now, she parted her lips and traced his with her tongue. When he allowed her entrance into his mouth, her breathing sped up a small bit as her heart rate accelerated. She was kissing her former professor and it was...odd, actually.

It wasn't bad, just not what she expected. He tasted clean, and as she deepened the kiss, his hand at the back of her neck stayed, as his other hand moved to her exposed thigh. Sliding up the bare flesh until it met her skirt, traveling over her hip, where his fingers squeezed the rounded flesh before moving farther up.

As her mouth moved with his, her body started to relax, and he pondered breaking the kiss to see if she was ready for more, but decided to hell with it. If she wanted to stop, she'd stop him.

His hand moved to skim over her bare back, making her shiver as he traced her spine with his fingertips. Still letting her control the kiss as he let his hands wander about her back and hips, getting her use to his touch.

When she broke the kiss, he almost expected her to pull away, to change her mind, only she didn't. She only shifted in his lap to get more comfortable before moving in to kiss him again on her own. That was when he started taking over.

His hands finding the hem of her blouse to slip under it, and letting his hands slide up and down her bare ribs, testing her reaction to him before skating over her belly on his way to her breasts. Letting his thumbs brush over her lace covered nipples that puckered instantly at his touch, before letting his hands fully enclose the round globes.

When she didn't protest, instead leaning into his touch as an almost quiet moan escaped her that was when he tore his lips from hers and pulled the blouse over her head. The cool air hitting her skin and making her shiver before he pulled her back to his mouth again.

Devouring her lips just as she'd expected him to before, and she didn't pull away a tiny bit.

She wasn't sure how it worked out the way it did, but she found her bra and skirt gone in short order as his hands ran down her body. His own clothes were reduced to just his trousers, though she had a feeling a bit of magic had been involved for that part. Even if she didn't quite remember how it happened.

His mouth sucking at her breast, Hermione was bowed backwards as he feasted on her, her body flaming as his arm around her kept her from falling over. Her fingertips digging into his wide and pale shoulders as she gave a small moan at what he was doing to her.

Suddenly she felt herself falling, and grabbed for him with a squeak of alarm before realizing that he wasn't letting her drop, only rolling her over to pin her underneath him on the wide sofa. Her honey colored eyes locked onto his nearly black ones and seeing the heat glittering in his eyes, she was surprised to see it.

She didn't remember giving her brain permission to speak, but before she realized it, words were flowing from her mouth. "You really want me? Me and not just some younger woman in your bed?"

Severus frowned slightly as he took in her flushed face as they both breathed a bit raggedly. "Does it matter?" He asked, his eyes searching hers.

She nodded. "Yes."

He mentally debated his answer for several moments before speaking. "You are smart enough to realize that I could have any number of young women, especially with Draco's money behind me, if all I wanted was someone with a youthful body." He murmured softly.

Understanding what he was saying, she felt her lips curving before she leaned up to kiss him again as her hands roamed over his form. Dueling her tongue with his, she lifted her hips when she felt him pulling her knickers down her legs.

At the first touch of his pale fingers to her folds, she moaned as she opened wider to give him more access to her. His fingers sliding over her hidden gem, her breathing grew more rapid as he brought her closer to peak, and she broke the kiss when he sent her over the edge. Her eyes wide at how quick her orgasm hit her when normally it took so much longer for her body to warm up.

"Wow." Was all she whispered before with another dark chuckle from him, he started attacking her lips again as he eased his long digits inside to prepare her for him.

Squirming at the pleasure soaring through her, she reached for her wand that she'd dropped on the floor much earlier and with nothing but a few flicks, she felt his bare hips finally touching her own. A low growl escaping the dark man that was quickly turning her mind to mush with the skillful way he was working her, when he realized he was suddenly just as naked as she was.

Moaning faster, his thumb strummed over her little bundle of nerves as he slid his fingers in and out of her, she heard the word please whimper out from between her lips, and within moments he was between her spread thighs. Her eyes still on his dark ones that were burning, he positioned himself at her entrance.

Only he didn't move. He didn't press forward to slide into her, he didn't do anything but stare down at her. Her brows creasing at him simply waiting, he seemed to realize that she didn't understand his reason for stopping.

"Are you sure?" He asked, silently begging her to say yes. Still amazed she had agreed to his terms at all in the first place. He'd expected many things at what he'd told her, a slap or a hex at the least, not her naked and under him.

Hermione nodded. "I'm sure."

The words had barely left her mouth before he was plunging inside her, her gasp as he stretched her around his impressive length masked his grunt of pleasure as her slick walls encased him completely. Giving her a moment to adjust to him, a moment where he closed his eyes to not only savor how spectacular she felt, but also to collect his wits that were scattered in every direction after feeling her wrapped around him.

Opening his eyes, he met her gaze a moment before he bent down to kiss her again. His tongue dancing with hers as he started to move inside her. Withdrawing almost all the way, before easing his way back in, gaining speed with each stroke.

It wasn't long before his hips were pistoning against hers, Hermione's moans echoing around the room as he moved with her. Her hands clutching at him, pulling him closer to her as she wrapped her legs tighter around his waist.

His own grunts and groans mixing with her sounds of pleasure as she lifted her body to meet each thrust of his hips. She was so much more than he'd expected and damn if the little minx wasn't one hell of a shag.

"Bloody hell, witch..." he grunted. "So tight...and hot." Driving into her even harder now.

She didn't know how long they moved together, be it minutes, hours, or days. All she was aware of was the wonderful feeling of him inside her. He rotated his hips and slammed into her, making her cry out as he brushed along her sweet spot. A spot that seemed to be hard for most men to find inside her.

He reared back and did it again, making her cry out even louder this time as the sweet tension started building faster and higher than anything ever before. Sweat was rolling down them both as he moved in her again and again.

Her nails biting into his pale flesh, she cried out as he hit that spot over and over. "Oh god...right there...don't stop...please." Her last word was more of a keening whimper than anything else.

He pounded into her, her cries growing louder and louder with each plunge. His hand dug into her hip, making her keep his rhythm as his other hand braced himself over her while he moved. Pumping faster and faster as he felt her body tightening around him.

"Scream for me, woman." He ground out as he felt his own release nearing. "I want to hear...you scream my name."

Her legs shaking, her body grew even more rigid, and then she arched as she suddenly went flying over the edge. Her scream was long and jagged as her walls clamped down on him. His name mixing with the harsh sound escaping her as he hammered into her with all he had.

Her slick sleeve pulsing around him was too much and with a harsh grunt of completion he exploded inside her with a final jerk of his hips. Panting heavily, he collapsed on top of her, her own breathing just as ragged as his.

It took several minutes before he was able to even think of moving off of her, and even then, a few more before he could actually do it. Glad he'd widened the sofa as much as he did so that he could roll off of her without hitting the floor.

Hermione lay as she was, trying to calm her racing heart. She'd done it. She'd slept with her old teacher. She figured she knew what Severus thought of her now, but she didn't care. Well, she did, but she had her reasons for doing what she did and she refused to let what he thought put a damper on it.

Severus had his own thoughts going through his mind. Draco would get his money back, but would he get Hermione back too? The witch had been angry at hearing the wager, but had gone through with the terms anyway. So where did that leave the young couple? He had no clue, but he wouldn't be surprised to find out that Draco got both the money and the girl in the end.

Not able to take much more silence, Hermione sat up and accio'd her clothes. She couldn't bring herself to look at him now. Afraid of what his eyes would hold as he looked upon her. With him not saying anything, she figured it couldn't be good thoughts that he was having anyway.

Using his wand to dress instead of dressing on his own like she was, he was finished much sooner and was back to silently studying her. Watching as she slid her knickers and skirt on, waiting for something from her. Anything. But as her bra and shirt were slipped back on and still she didn't speak, he decided he'd had enough.

"Tell me," he said, his voice drawing her gaze, though he saw it was hesitant. "Was it worth it?"

Hermione frowned as she slipped her shoes back on. "Was what worth it?"

"Having sex with me so that your boyfriend could get his money back?" He said, still just watching her.

Hermione's eyes dropped as she used her wand to refresh herself. "Did you plan on asking me that as soon as it was finished? Or did this question just suddenly pop into your mind?"

Severus frowned. "I hadn't planned anything actually. I didn't expect you to do it and I'm not sure if I'm more surprised or disappointed that you did."

Hermione breathed deeply before moving to pick up her purse. "I'm sorry if you're disappointed...that wasn't...what I'd intended."

He watched as she moved to the door. "You didn't answer my question. Was it worth it, to save your boyfriend's money?"

She stopped when the door opened and looked back at him. "I didn't do it for the money."

He couldn't help the snort of disbelief that escaped him. "You didn't? So tell me, is him being rich again just an added bonus for you then?"

Her head tilted as she pondered if she should be honest or not, before shrugging. "Him being rich or poor doesn't matter. I'd planned on breaking up with him long before learning of the bet."

Severus' lips parted in shock as his eyes grew wide at hearing that. "What?"

Hermione nodded. "Yep. I practiced what I was going to say to him the whole way here."

Still in shock, he spoke. "Then why...?" Not understanding at all.

Her lips curved slightly. "I didn't agree to your clause so he'd have his money. I agreed because I'd had a crush on you since mid way through my final year at Hogwarts. You offered me you, and that is what I took."

She turned to leave again only to pause a second time. "When you see Draco, let him know I said don't bother owling me again. Oh, and the few items he left at my flat are already in a box waiting for his elf to pick it up since I know he won't get off his lazy arse to do so himself. Goodnight, Professor." She said before leaving him staring after her completely dumbfounded.

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><p><em><strong>AN:** Ha, ha. I love leaving Severus stunned speechless. I doubt many have the ability to do that to the man. Ok, final chapter coming soon. Take care all, and Please leave me your thoughts._


	2. Part 2

_** A/N: **Hello all. Thank you for the wonderful reviews, and adding this story to your alerts and faves. I loved seeing all the response this story has gathered and I think I've gotten to just about all the reviews everyone left. If not, I'll finish off what I've missed here in a bit. Here is part two that I promised. I hope you all like it. Take care and as usual Please Read and Review so I know what you thought of it._

_On a side note, just saw the new HP film and...was very upset afterward. I knew what was coming, as did most of us already, but to see my precious Severus...oh well...he lives on in my version of the story. lol. The other changes they made from the movie vs book pissed me off, but again, I'm choosing to ignore most of them. =) Ok, on with the story. _Also, there was a mistake with FF cause there is no part three to this story. So please ignore the other update you got since it was meant as a correction and not an added chapter._ Take care all.  
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**Special Thanks to TabiPrewett for beta'ing this for me, you did an awesome job and I thank you very much for it. Even giving a second once over after I made changes to the corrected copy.  
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><p><strong><span>The Wager: Part Two<span>  
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Two whole weeks had passed since the night of the incident. Since the night she finally got what she'd secretly wanted for so long, to find out if Snape was as good as she'd always imagined him to be in bed.

He was too. Better in fact. She'd always tried to be somewhat realistic in her mind when she pondered her thoughts about him, figuring there would be flaws in him. That maybe he would be only average in size, or a bit clumsy when it came to foreplay, or even just plain selfish in bed at times. Possibly even him finishing before her, as it was known to happen to some men every now and again. But he'd blown her mind, actually. He'd been none of those things. Granted they'd only had sex the one time, but still, she'd been impressed.

He'd made sure she was ready for him, their foreplay being not only really good, but without a single moment of awkwardness or indecision on his part. He seemed to know just where and how to touch her to get the best reactions, plus, she hadn't had a moments shyness in him touching her, or seeing her either. He'd somehow kept her otherwise occupied by what he was doing, that she hadn't had a free single moment to be embarrassed about being naked in front of him.

Then, the actual act itself had been wonderful. The fact that he'd asked if she was sure before anything else...she hated to admit it...but no one had ever done that before. Most guys when they got naked stopped wondering if what they were doing was alright with her. They usually just went full steam ahead without a thought to her comfort or preferences in their heads sometimes.

Sighing, she looked back to the file in front of her. She worked at the Ministry of Magic and had been staring at her current assignment for the last half hour without her mind being fully focused on it. It kept drifting to one of two things, her last conversation with Draco, which admittedly didn't go well, or back to her former teacher, which didn't end well either. At least in her mind it didn't.

"I shouldn't have just walked out like that," she muttered to herself for the umpteenth time since it happened.

With a shake of her head, she looked at the file again, only to have a knock sound at her door. She called out for the person to come in and as the door opened, she saw an older delivery man carrying a vase full of flowers.

"Another one for you, Miss Granger. Someone really is trying to get your attention. Where do you want this batch?" He asked, a warm smile on his slightly wrinkled face.

Hermione sighed, "Anywhere you can find a spot, I suppose." She said.

This had been happening all week now and she was running out of space. Already her desk and other flat surfaces were littered with bouquets of roses, freesia, gardenias, hydrangeas, irises, dahlias, orchids, and sunflowers. Now it seemed she had a mixed bouquet of poppies, and Japanese Lanterns that she wasn't sure would fit in her overly crowded office.

With it finally settled on a tiny portion of her desk, she thanked the man before he winked and took off to finish the rest of his deliveries. Gazing about her now rather colorful office, she ground her teeth in annoyance. She figured Draco still hadn't gotten the hint yet and it only annoyed her more.

She would have tossed all these flowers out, only they were charmed so she couldn't pick them up with ill intentions in mind, or be harmed in any way physically or magically, at least without her reading the cards first. Something she'd refused to do since the very first batch had arrived.

She knew this was Draco's way of trying to get back in her good graces and she refused to give in a single inch. There was no way she was going to let him attempt to weasel his way out of her being angry at him, or let him change her mind on having dumped him. He was an arse and she refused to let his slick words get him off the hook.

It wasn't just the bet he'd made with Severus, that particular moment of idiocy had just been the icing on the cake. She was tired of him only contacting her at the last moment to do something, almost as if she was a last resort if he had nothing better to do. She was tired of him taking her to overly posh places that she was never comfortable in, then spending the rest of the evening being a snob to the employees simply because he could.

She had thought that his overly snide behavior a thing of his past when she'd started to date him, but he'd only hidden it so she'd go out with him. His normal disdain appearing more and more the longer she was with him.

His total disrespect for everyone around him, including her, was just too much. The only time he wasn't this rich, snotty prat was when they were alone in private. If they were at her flat, he was nice, warm, and caring, but otherwise...he annoyed the living piss out of her.

Their conversation a few days after finding out about the bet had been awful. He'd shown up at her flat and after she'd begrudgingly letting him in, he'd tried to explain his side to her. She hadn't bought his lame excuses for having drank too much that night, even though he did lay it on rather thick. Even when he'd pulled out several different jewelry boxes, hoping the shiny jewels would help ease her anger at him, she'd merely glared at him.

The rare volumes he'd tried bribing her with only infuriated her more. She didn't want anything from him that his newly reacquired funds could buy her, not even expensive books. She wasn't for sale and the fact that he seemed to think she was only made her anger grow. She didn't want anything from him, period. She just wanted him to leave her alone.

It had taken several rather nasty hexes sent his way for him to get the point and finally leave her flat, but he'd left his 'bribes'. So she'd wrapped them together, and with a spell added to the package that would not only sting the hell out of him, but cover him in large pus filled boils when he got it, she sent everything back to him. Hoping he understood that she wanted him to bugger off and leave her alone.

A few more days later and the flowers started to appear at work and again, it was just pissing her off. Apparently, he didn't get her message with the boils.

Sighing heavily, she went back to looking at the file in her hand, doing her best to ignore the flowers permeating the air with their many pretty scents. Scanning the contents of the paperwork, she was just about to try to make some headway when there was a new knock at her door.

_For the love of Merlin, no more flowers. _Her brain whined, before with a sigh, she called for the person to enter. _Just bugger off, Draco,_ she thought. Only what met her gaze as the door opened had her eyes widening marginally and her lips parting in surprise.

Black eyes assessed her coolly as she continued to stare at him dumbfounded. Out of everyone that could have possibly opened her door, not once did this man cross her mind. Though for the life of her, she had no idea why she wouldn't have thought of him.

"Since you seem unable to give a proper greeting, I suppose it's up to me to do so. Hello, Hermione." He said, his voice just as silky as it always was.

Hermione swallowed nervously. "H-hello, Professor."

His brow rose at that, walking inside her office and closing the door behind him. "Wasn't it you that said that it was silly to be so formal when you weren't my student any longer?"

She had no idea why he was here, but nodded slowly as she tried to force her hands to stop the shaking they'd started upon seeing him. "It was, but that was before..." Trailing off when he took a seat in one of the chairs in front of her desk, noticing he didn't bother waiting for her to ask him to sit first either.

"Before we had sex? Or before you admitted to having a school girl's crush on me?" He asked, still studying her.

Hermione's lips tightened. "I don't have...a school girl's crush on you. I said that used to have a crush, there's a difference."

His lips quirked. "Is there? Hmm...the way you say it makes it sound as if you no longer harbor said crush. Is that true? The fact that...well, the night ended the way it did, says otherwise."

Her chin lifting, Hermione met his cool stare with her own. "I don't have to explain myself to anyone, including you. So, if you only came to gloat or use my past feelings against me, you can leave."

However, he didn't leave, instead he stayed sitting like he was. Silently watching her, measuring her, until Hermione's eyes narrowed and a growl escaped her.

"What do you want, Severus?" She asked, not the least bit polite with her tone either.

He pondered his answer to her, before shrugging. "I came to find out if you normally ignore people that extend invitations, or if it was simply me you chose to purposely ignore."

That had her frowning in confusion. "What invitations? I haven't seen or heard from you since...that night at the Manor."

Severus' brow rose again as his gaze slipped over the many blooms covering her office. "On the contrary, I've sent an invitation to join me for dinner so we could talk with every cluster of flowers that now litter your desk."

Hermione looked at the many vases around her and her eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. "You sent all the flowers?"

He frowned at her. "Was the double S's at the bottom of the cards not enough to identify me as the sender of your gifts? I wonder… do you really know that many people with my initials?"

Hermione felt heat fill her cheeks at what she was about to admit. "No, I...I never opened any of the cards."

His frown grew. "May I ask why not?"

Hermione huffed out a breath, feeling stupid now for assuming anything. "I thought...I thought Draco sent the flowers and I didn't want to read his pathetic words of apology. The only reason they're still here is the charm making me keep them. I would have tossed them in rubbish bin otherwise."

Severus breathed deeply and nodded. "I see."

Hermione bit her lower lip, feeling bad for not having read the cards now. "I'm sorry...for assuming that...for not opening the cards. I wasn't...ignoring you on purpose." Her eyes dropping back to her desk.

Several minutes of silence passed before she looked back up to find his eyes still on her. Taking a deep breath, she spoke her next question softly. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Her tone much nicer this time.

"I wanted to ask you something, or should I say, I wanted to know more about why you did...what you did that night. It...doesn't make any sense to me and I was hoping you could make me understand your reasoning behind it." He told her.

Hermione held his gaze still. "You said you were disappointed that night, so what does it matter now?"

"It matters to me." Severus said, the urge to look for himself in her mind was burning inside him, though he refrained. "However, I wasn't disappointed in having you, it was more that...you would give yourself away just for the money. I was disappointed at thinking you didn't have as much self respect as I always thought you did. Your words before you left ended any disappointment I might have been feeling, but...you were already gone before I could say differently."

Hermione looked away, staring at the newest arrangement of flowers on her desk as what he said sank in. She took a moment regather her thoughts before speaking again. "You know, I wasn't the only one with a crush on you that year. Several of the girls were swooning over you after learning the truth about you. Though...I wouldn't say that I swooned at all, more...just thought. Pondered. Let my mind wander over different ideas about you. Curiosities I had pertaining to you."

Severus didn't say anything, waiting to see if she went on, though he was surprised to hear that so many girls had been crushing on him at all. He'd never noticed anything amiss after he came back with the other girls, and he'd only stayed that one year before retiring from teaching, so he'd not been around see anything amiss the next year either. Finding that he just couldn't teach anymore with all the horrible memories that haunted him as he wandered the old halls of Hogwarts.

However, when she didn't speak, he did. "What did you...ponder exactly?" Keeping his voice as neutral as possible.

Hermione took a breath and went on. "Many things. Different situations, or possible situations that could have happened if only...one thing or another had been different. What I'd do, if said situation ever arose. For example, I wondered what it would be like to kiss you, to let you kiss me in return."

She gave a small laugh at that. "You know, it was odd when we kissed, and odd wasn't anything I had contemplated as a possibility either."

Severus exhaled loudly. "You think that kissing me was odd?" More than a hint of annoyance lacing his voice.

Hermione's gaze met his. "Yes. Wasn't it odd for you? Kissing me, a former student, someone that you always...insulted at every turn. Someone that up until that night you had never looked at like...well, like I was even a girl, really."

He scowled at her. "No, I did not find it odd. Are you're saying you didn't enjoy kissing me?"

Realizing that he didn't understand what she meant, she quickly clarified. "No, that wasn't what I was saying at all. I didn't say I didn't like it, I said it was odd. I never expected it to happen and...it was...so much different than I thought it would be. A good kind of different. I doubt you had ever thought about kissing me, but..."

His scowl changed into a look of curiosity as he interrupted her. "Why would you assume that?"

Hermione paused, at a loss with his question. "Well...I...I don't know. I just...I mean...are you saying you had thought about it before that night?"

Feeling his lips twitch at her clearly lost look, he nodded. "Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. Do you think that Draco offered you up as an alternative without there being a reason for it?"

Back to being at a loss again, Hermione didn't answer immediately. Finally she could only think of one thing to say. "What reason?"

Severus leaned forward in his seat, still measuring what he was seeing in her eyes. "We'll get back to that in a moment, first I want you to finish answering my other question. What else did you...ponder? Though honestly, I think the proper word for it would be fantasize."

Hermione shook her head. "I didn't fantasize about you, I had curiosities. Its different. I'm not some...mindless chit coming up with hopelessly romantic notions about us holding hands as we wandered about some flower filled meadow, calling each other nonsensical pet names, while spouting poetry."

Severus smirked. "Thank Merlin for that, though, I didn't think you were. However, some people might see you wondering what it would be like to kiss me as a fantasy."

It was her turn to scowl at him, and it had him chuckling softly. "You wouldn't be one of them, I take it." He said as she glared at him. "Fine, use whatever word you want, though I think its still the same thing. Now, back to my question, what else did you think about?"

Still scowling, Hermione folded her arms over her chest. "You know, if you're just going to poke fun at me...I'm not saying anything else."

That had his smirk growing. "Really?" He asked, eying her.

When she didn't say another word, he stood up and moved around her desk to stand behind her. She didn't turn her head, though she wasn't sure she trusted him enough to keep her gaze forward. Feeling his hands brush her hair off her neck, she stiffened marginally.

"Tell me, did you think about more than just a kiss?" He purred in her ear, before placing a small kiss on her neck. "Did you ponder what it would be like if I, say...slid my hand up your side to cup your breast?" His fingertips tickling her arms as they slid up and around to brush across her nipples, the little buds instantly tightening at the soft touch.

She swallowed nervously, but he went on. "Did you think about how it would feel to have me come up behind you as you worked in my class, then pick you up and set you on your desk?" He purred again before he spun her chair around and with almost no effort on his part, he had her sitting on top of the file she'd been trying to focus on before the flowers arrived. Pushing her chair out of the way so he could stand in front of her as she sat on her desk.

His eyes met hers, black meeting brown, a challenge in his, while hers held not only her uncertainty, but a hint of defiance too. "I'm curious, Hermione, did you let your mind wander to me lifting you onto your desk, or mine? Or was it both you thought of?"

Hermione went to move off her desk, but he blocked her way. His hands settling on either side of her hips. "Answer me, witch." He said, searching her face for what he wanted to know.

"Yes." She growled at him.

His brows rose. "Yes, what? Yes, you thought of more than just me kissing you? Yes, you thought of me touching your breasts? Yes, to your desk? Or to mine? What exactly are you admitting too?"

Gritting her teeth at him making her answer him, she lifted her chin again. "All of it, alright? Is that what you wanted? Are you happy to know that I did fantasize about you? That I wanted you? On my desk, your desk, anywhere, and everywhere in that damn castle. That even though its been a few years since I was your student, that the thoughts stayed with me, simmering in the back of my mind? Making themselves known when I'd see you at the Manor or anywhere else for that matter? That when you told me the terms of the contract, while yes I was pissed as hell at Draco, the realization of possibly getting to fulfill some of them with you instantly popped into my mind? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

His nostrils flaring at her words, he leaned in closer. "Yes, that is exactly what I wanted to hear."

Her chin lifted even more, thinking he was about to humiliate her with what she'd admitted. "Fine. Now you know, and now you can leave."

His lips curved, "I think not, witch."

She opened her mouth to argue, but he chose that moment to swoop in and capture her mouth with his. Her lips already parted to speak, gave him all the access he needed to slip his tongue inside her mouth and dance it along hers.

Not having expected that, it took her a moment to respond, and by then his arm was already around her waist pulling her chest flush against his own. His other hand cupping her neck, holding her captive as he fully possessed her with just a kiss.

Feeling her melt against him, her hands gliding up his chest to wrap around him, his arm around her waist shifted. His hand moved to her hip as he eased her legs open with his knee so he could stand between them, glad that this time, her skirt was loose enough to allow him to do so. His grasp on her nicely rounded hip, he pulled her closer to the edge of the desk.

Skating his hand down her thigh until he found the hem of her skirt, before catching it with his fingertips, and slidding his hand back up her leg, dragging the material with him as he went. His mind already on how delicious she'd been before, and how delectable she'd be this time too.

But, Hermione's hand dropped to grab his hand easing her skirt up, breaking the kiss as she stopped the material from rising any higher. "Wait." She panted out. "What do you think you're doing?"

Severus' eyes burned into her. "Fulfilling more of those fantasies." He growled, before capturing her mouth again in a fiery kiss.

He leaned in further, trying to get as close to her as possible as her grip on his hand slackened. Her tongue dancing with his as a soft whimper escaped her. The sound sending a tingle down his spine as one of his hands finished pulling her skirt up quickly, and the other tickled the back of her knee as he lifted her left leg to wrap around his waist.

Feeling his fingertips touching her bare leg, she tore her lips from him again. "Severus, wait." She said, breathing heavily.

He closed his eyes, trying to reign in the need to take her again. Trying to find a sliver of the control he usually had with most things. Finding it, barely, he opened them again to look at her. "Why?" He asked.

Hermione swallowed at the searing heat in his eyes. "Well...for one thing...I'm at work and the door isn't even locked, nor the room silenced." She said softly, only to have him pull his wand and correct that error.

Her lips twitched at how fast he'd moved, even as her palm pressed against his chest to stop him from kissing her again. "Second of all...what the hell is this? Do you think that just because I admitted that...I wanted you, that I'm just going to sleep with you again?"

His hand caught hers, easing it away from his chest so he could lean down towards her again. Nipping at her neck, before speaking in her ear, well aware of the timber of his voice making her shiver as he did so. "Are you saying you don't want to?"

Swallowing against the heat filling her as he all but purred in ear, she forced herself answer him. "That isn't relevant. I'm not going to have sex with a man that doesn't really like me."

He pulled back to look down at her. "You're assuming again, and I'm curious, has that actually worked out in your favor yet?"

She frowned at him, "What?"

He smirked at her. "You assumed the flowers were from Draco, and you were incorrect. You assumed I never thought of kissing you, and again you were wrong. Now you're assuming I don't like you, and you're wrong yet again. So, I can't help but wonder if assuming has ever worked out for you."

Hermione frowned at him. "You're trying to tell me that you do like me, the same person you've called annoying in one way or another for as long as I can remember. How can you like someone who annoys you as much as I seem to?"

Severus gave a mild shrug. "Just because you have some annoying traits doesn't mean that all you do is annoy me. Nor does it mean that I dislike you, even when you are annoying me. Are you saying that your friends don't annoy you? Do you only like being around them when they don't annoy you?"

"If I waited for Harry or Ron not to annoy me...I'd never see them." She said.

He smirked at her again. "Exactly. As for your question...I've already said enough for you to have figured out my intentions."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to shag you again because you've thought of kissing me and happen to not dislike me, even when I'm annoying you."

Severus gave a deep sigh. "I may have to take back my thoughts of you being intelligent."

Hermione huffed out a breath. "You've never said I was intelligent."

"Maybe not to your face, but that doesn't mean I haven't thought it or that I've not said it many times to other people." He pointed out, earning a look from her that said she was about to ask who he'd said it too.

Instead he went on before she could speak. "I've already told you that I could have had any woman I wanted, if I just wanted a younger one to fill my bed. That wasn't why I was willing to give Draco a shot to win his money back. I told you too, that Draco had a reason for offering you, and that I'd entertained thoughts of you before. What more do you need to hear to understand why I'm here?" His eyes boring into hers.

Hermione swallowed again, her thoughts starting to click into place. "He offered me, already knowing you'd take him up on the bet?"

Severus nodded, not saying anything more.

"He...knew you'd thought of kissing me and knew that...you'd thought of...more than just kissing too?" She asked, curious if she was right about that too.

He nodded again.

Going with the logical path, she asked something else. "You were willing to give all that money up, just for one night with me?"

Severus debated how honest to be, and decided with a mental shrug to give it to her straight. "I told you that I didn't want him tossed out on his arse, even if he deserved it. I probably would have let him win his money back anyway after he'd stewed long enough."

Hermione nodded, trying to keep the disappointment out of her face at hearing that his taking the bet really hadn't been just for her. But she didn't count on Severus seeing the flicker in her eyes.

Catching her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he kept her gaze on his. "That doesn't mean that even if I hadn't cared about him not making it on his own while broke, that I wouldn't have willingly given him every dime of his money back for a chance to have you. I'd have given him everything I'd won, and so much more."

"Why?" She whispered.

His eyes raked over her face. "Do you think I hadn't noticed how beautiful you were? Even as my student? You being what you were...that first time I saw you in my class after the war and realized that I was attracted to you, that I wanted nothing more than to have you naked and under me, I didn't let myself look at you again that year. Its why I didn't notice you looking right back at me."

Hermione thoughts instantly went back to her final year, and saw what she'd never really noticed before. His gaze never stayed on hers. If she raised her hand, he tried to ignore her, which was nothing new, but it was still different. He didn't glare at her when he finally called on her, half the time he didn't even look her way as she spoke, or if he did, he looked past her.

When he wandered the room to check potions, he usually skipped her completely in his rounds. If he did come near her desk, he barely glanced at it before moving on silently. His head never rose in the Great Hall to look anywhere but at his table of Slytherins, not even to send glares at the Gryffindor table if they were too loud. Something he'd always done in the past.

"I never noticed. I mean...I kind of did, but I didn't...put it together." She said after several minutes had passed.

Severus nodded, still holding her chin. "I know, no one did that year."

Hermione let that sink in a moment before asking her next question. "Why not ask me out after I graduated?"

"I am almost twenty years your senior, it wouldn't have been deemed appropriate for me to...ask you out, as you put it." He told her, letting his thumb shift to stroke over her jaw line. "The few times I saw you in Diagon Alley, I kept my distance on purpose, not trusting myself to be near you without doing or saying something I shouldn't."

His eyes still on hers, he went on. "However, my godson knows me rather well, it seems. He noticed something was off when you started coming to the Manor while I was there, and that only made him watch more and more until he figured it out. He saw the rare times I let my gaze drift to you, took note of the difference in how I looked at you, as opposed to how I looked at others around me, and put it together rather quickly."

Hermione sighed, "So now what?" Not wanting to talk about Draco.

Severus again pondered his answer. "That is up to you."

"What do you mean, up to me?" She asked. "What...exactly are my...er...options?"

Severus chuckled softly. "Well, we can fulfill a few of those fantasies. Yours and mine." At her raised brow, he smirked once again. "I never said I didn't have any, just that I didn't let myself look at you."

Hermione gave small laugh at hearing that, "Alright, are there any more options, or is that all?"

Severus grew silent again as he studied her, letting the minutes tick by before speaking again. "Would you like other options? Something beyond just a few nights in bed?"

Hermione bit her lower lip. "You said that with you being older than me, that it wasn't appropriate to go out with me, do you still believe that?"

Severus nodded slowly, still watching. "Absolutely, it would be very inappropriate. Anyone would tell you the same thing, including your friends."

Hermione again tried not to be disappointed at hearing that. "Oh. Well, I guess that answers that, though...I doubt my friends would care about propriety, and if they did...I'm sure they'd come around eventually. Not that I usually let them dictate to me what I can or cannot do with my life." Her gaze dropping as she went on, missing the gleam of approval in his eyes at her words. "But, if you are worried about what other people might say about seeing you with me, maybe it would be best..."

"You're assuming again." He interrupted, making her eyes rise to meet his. "I never said I cared one whit about what others thought or said, I simply said that it wouldn't be deemed appropriate."

Hermione took a deep breath. "Alright. So what do you want, then?"

Severus reached up and tangled his fingers in her hair, closing his fist around a handful of the thick mass, and holding her head captive once again. His eyes locked and burned into hers with the desire he'd been hiding for so long. "You. Naked and wrapped around me. If I simply have to take you out to dinner first, then I will. If you want me to properly court you first, I will. Whatever you wish, I will do it, so long as I get you, just as I want you. Naked and wrapped around me, and only me. Do you want more options than that?"

"No." She said softly, her breathing speeding up at seeing just how much he did indeed want her. She didn't remember seeing anyone look at her like that before either.

He skimmed over her face, assessing what he saw in her eyes. "So the question is, what do you want, witch? Do you want just a few shags to satisfy your...curiosities about me? Or do you want more than that? Knowing that I'm not an easy man, nor a push over on most things, how much of me are you willing to take?"

Hermione swallowed nervously. What he was offering was everything she'd always wanted, plus so much more than what she'd ever allowed herself to think about. She'd never dreamed she'd have a chance at anything with him, let alone anything substantial with him.

Now that he was offering something real, she wasn't sure what to do. Did she stick with the few shags to keep from risking getting hurt? Should she take the full commitment without knowing how well they would fare on a day to day basis?

Seeing her hesitate, even with everything else he saw in her eyes, he leaned down, and heard her slight intake of breath when his lips brushed against hers. Drawing back a tiny bit, he spoke as his eyes stayed focused on hers. "As I said before, I can only guide you so far, Hermione; the rest is up to you?"

She wanted him, had wanted him for so long now she almost needed to pinch herself to make sure this was real. Taking a deep and calming breath, she spoke. "How about a compromise?"

He let his lips brush against hers again before asking, "What kind of compromise?"

Unable to help herself, she closed the distance and kissed him, barely getting a real taste of him before he pulled away. He wasn't about to let her distract him, or herself for that matter. "Tell me." He said.

Hermione kept her eyes on him, her lips curving. "Why don't we start with dinner, maybe fulfill a few of those fantasies afterward, yours and mine, and then...we can see where it goes from there? It might even lead to that proper courting that you mentioned, which I could see me wanting in the future, along with many more fantasies being fulfilled with it too."

Severus smirked at her. "I can't fulfill anything while properly courting you."

Hermione frowned in confusion. "Why not?" Not having actually heard of or read about such acts in the wizarding world before now.

Severus chuckled as he realized she had no clue what proper courting was, before he leaned down to give her a short kiss. "There is no sex allowed with proper courtship. That is saved for...much later." He said, thinking it best to leave out what all exactly the details were for now. Surprised that she didn't seem to understand what it was or what it would mean for them as a couple. That it was a rather big step in wizarding society that could and would lead them towards a full and permanent relationship. The 'till death do us part' kind of relationship.

"Can we skip the proper part and just have the courting?" She asked, easing her way closer for another small kiss.

One he gave her willingly before answering. "We can do anything you want, as long as it means I still get you either way." It was true, he'd willing give up the socially expected ritual that he'd been raised to follow for a chance at a life filled with the magic he'd glimpsed with her that night.

Hermione gave him a full smile. "Deal." She said before pulling him to her for a full kiss, done talking for now.

Severus dueled his tongue with hers, his hands sliding over her cloth covered back, molding her to him, but pulled back only moments into it, just enough to meet her gaze, and earned growl from her at him stopping once again. Fighting a chuckle at the annoyed look on her face, he spoke. "I thought you wanted dinner first."

Hermione hooked her other leg around him, drawing him closer to her. "We can do dinner later. Now are you going to fulfill one of those fantasies, or must I tie you to that chair to get what I want?"

His eyes glinted at the mention of bondage, something he'd have never have guessed she'd allow, let alone suggest, and he drew his wand before re-enforcing their privacy spells. "If anyone is getting tied up, it will be you, witch." He growled before crashing his lips back onto hers.

Their clothes didn't stand a chance against their wandering fingers, and before long they were both naked. Severus had been playing his thoughts out in his head for so long, that he knew exactly how and where he wanted to touch her.

Feasting on her breasts, he let his hands glide down her body, pausing to caress different spots as he went, spots that had her sighing in pleasure. A gasp of surprise escaped her a short time later and he wasn't sure if it was due to him nipping softly at her nipple, or him sliding his fingers inside her as his thumb stroked her nerve center. Nor did he pause to ask.

Before long, he had her pressed back on her desk as he brought her chair back so that he could sit and taste her delicate folds. Something he'd thought of doing for so long now and he didn't want to wait another moment before seeing if she was just as delicious as he always knew she would be.

With that first swipe of his tongue on her sensitive skin, he couldn't hold back from fully diving in. Her scent and flavor was more wonderful than he'd expected and he couldn't get enough. Working her with his tongue as she panted and arched her back, her fingers tunneled through his hair.

Adding in his long digits again, her pants turned to breathless moans as he continued tasting her over and over again. There was no way he was letting this tasty morsel escape him now. He intended to feast on her every chance he got, even if he had tie the little witch to his bed to do so. He would make sure that she was so hoarse from screaming in pleasure that she wouldn't have the energy, nor vocal power, to verbally refuse him.

When she cried out her release at his ministrations, he lapped up every exquisite drop, before standing again. His hands on her hips, he dragged her to the edge of the desk, her back sliding easily with the folders underneath her, and settled her legs on his wide, pale shoulders.

His burning gaze on her blurry one, he waited until she could focus again, and with a small curving of her lips urging him on, he sheathed himself in her with one solid stroke. His hiss of pleasure mixed with her gasp of delight at being stretched around his impressive length once again.

He paused only long enough to let her adjust to him, and then he began moving in her. His thrusts fast and deep as he rode her. Since the night he'd had her at the Manor, his own fantasies and need had grown exponentially until he had to find her or go mad with his lust for her.

The only thing that had held him back when he first entered her office, was that he did not understand why she had ignored him. The more he'd listened to her, the more he'd seen in her eyes that she still wanted him, it was all he could do to keep from pouncing on her.

Now that he was inside her once again, he gave her every drop of everything he had. Pounding into her harder and harder as she keened and whimpered in rapture. His eyes taking in her lush form that was bouncing and shaking as he moved in her.

Her scream as she went flying only moments later, had a growl of possessive need clawing through him, rumbling from his lips as he rode out her orgasm. Her body squeezing his so delectably that it took every once of focus he had to keep from being pulled over the edge with her.

Still pumping into her, he let her ease back from her bliss, though he could see her building towards a fresh release already. However, he had other thoughts in mind. Pulling out of her, her eyes popped open and she started babbling frantically about how he couldn't stop yet. With a mental grin, he knew in that moment as she all but begged him to come back into her, that she was fully his already.

Pulling her up as he eased her legs back down off his shoulders, he crashed his lips onto hers and warred his tongue with hers. Earning a fresh whimper from her, before he broke the kiss and spun her around. Bending her over her desk, he plunged back in her tight and dripping center with a heavy grunt of sublime satisfaction.

Taking great pleasure in her sigh of both pleasure and relief that he'd filled her again. Letting himself enjoy the way her walls clenched around him, sucking him in deeper, before he started to hammer himself into her mercilessly. Holding her sexy, round hips in his hands, pulling her back into him as he thrust forward all in one motion. His dark orbs taking note of, not only her jiggling rump as he moved, but her hands that clawed at her desk as she cried out in delight with each drive of his hips. His own groans escaping and mixing with her sounds of ecstasy as he moved.

When she screamed out her release again, he ground his teeth against the joy of her pulsing walls, pumping even harder into her. His mind was complete mush, unable to think of anything but how incredible she felt around him.

He was hitting that sweet little spot inside her, one that had her crying out with each thrust since it sent her into a new orgasm each time he brushed it. Her body growing tighter and tighter each time he did too, and Severus wasn't sure he could take much more heavenly torture from her.

Finally, with a guttural roar, he exploded inside her with a final deep and hard thrust, collapsing onto her back as Hermione stayed bent over the desk, glad it could take the brunt of both their weight. She was gasping for air, feeling him panting behind her as her body twitched and shook from the force of her orgasms.

Several minutes passed before Severus moved off of her and sat in her chair again, pulling her into his lap as his arms encircled her. Hermione cuddled against him, still trying to calm her heart and breathing. Her mind completely silent for once in her life, unable to process a single thing except that he'd given her the single most fantastic experience of her young life.

Brushing his lips across her temple, he sighed in contentment as his brain started to whirl back to life. Knowing she was going to be sore as hell later, Severus made a mental note to get some bottles of pain and healing potions for her.

Breaking the silence, he lifted her chin to make her look at him. "Any thoughts on where you'd like to dine this evening?"

Hermione's lips curved, remembering that this was just the beginning of something with him. "None. However, I doubt you'd find me complaining should we decide to get some take away and stay in instead."

His brow rose at that. "Oh?" Wondering if she was looking for a way to postpone anyone finding out about them so she didn't have to explain why she was with him just yet.

She grinned even more. "I think we have enough thoughts and ponderings between us to keep us very busy for at least the next week or two. We can venture out in public after that. I figure we'll be in need of a real break by then."

His lips curved, regardless of his thoughts. "Thoughts and ponderings? I still say they're fantasies."

She shrugged, still grinning. "Now, you're arguing semantics. Either way, do you mind skipping dinner out so you can spend the rest of our evening naked and in bed with me?"

He gave a dark chuckle at that. "Is that a trick question? I sincerely doubt any healthy adult male would mind such a suggestion."

Hermione opened her mouth to comment, but was cut off by the soft beeping that announced the end of her day. Grabbing her wand, she shut off the noise and moved off his lap. "Well, Professor, I suggest we get dressed and move this little party to my flat."

His brow quirked even more. "Professor? Are you going to continue being overly formal with me? Or are you just trying to annoy me now?"

She slipped her skirt back on and winked at him. "Neither. I was just thinking that we could have some fun since I've still got my Hogwarts uniform. I think I might be in need of a detention."

His lips curved at that, and he too stood, using his magic to dress again. "Hmm..I might have just the proper punishment for you too, witch." He said, pulling her to him for a searing kiss.

When she was fully dressed, she gathered her things and with her hand tucked into his, something he was glad to see since it meant she wasn't hiding what they had from the rest of world, she walked with him down to the apparition point.

Thinking that he was glad that Draco had been dumb enough to actually bet his girlfriend. He might even tell her that he'd been present when Draco received the package she'd sent him and saw the blond subsequently covered in boils when he opened it. Hearing the reason for the boils, Severus knew that Draco hadn't gotten the girl back after all, and knew he would need to move quickly and carefully to get what he'd been wanting for so long now.

His plan hadn't included an afternoon shag, but who was he to argue with the witch. Especially since it was what he'd wanted too.

He hadn't been lying when he said he'd do whatever she wanted as long as he got her. He'd spent plenty of years alone and miserable, and now that he had a shot at something special with her, he knew he'd latch on with both hands and fight like hell to keep her.

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><p><em><strong>AN:** And there you have it. I hope you all liked it, I know I had fun writing it. Until our next adventure into Potterland, I wish you all the best. Take care and Please leave me your thoughts.  
><em>


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